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Select Board caps NHA events, requires shuttle/valet plans after parking and neighborhood concerns
Summary
After concerns from board members and staff about parking and neighborhood impacts, the Select Board approved conditional permits for three Nantucket Historic Association events, setting attendee caps and requiring shuttle/off‑site parking and robust communications to attendees.
The Select Board on Tuesday approved conditional public assembly and one‑day alcohol permits for three Nantucket Historic Association events after pressing the association to provide stronger off‑site parking and transportation plans for residential neighborhoods.
At a public hearing for the NHA’s Basket, Bubbles & Bourbon fundraiser, organizers Robin London and Stacy Stewart told the board they planned valet parking for 40 VIP cars at York Street and expected typical attendance nearer 320 but originally requested a 350 cap. Board members repeatedly raised traffic and neighborhood disruption concerns for the Eleanor Ham Pony Field site and urged organizers to incorporate shuttle service and more off‑site parking. NHA event manager Stacy Stewart said, "We still need to have a shuttle plan in place…300 we cap our number at 300 and that's staff and attendees," and agreed to work with town staff to refine the plan.
After extended questioning about parking capacity at York Street and whether ride‑share dropoffs would create pedestrian bottlenecks, the board moved to conditionally approve Basket, Bubbles & Bourbon with a cap of 250 (including staff), a combination of valet at York Street and off‑site parking with shuttle service, and required permits and public‑safety signoffs. The motion carried by roll call; one board member recused from that vote where noted in the record.
The board took a similar approach for the NHA’s Nantucket by Design opening party and Nantucket at Night. For Nantucket by Design the board approved the event with the same baseline parameters so that the association could either run the permitted plan or submit an alternate venue application; for Nantucket at Night at the Oldest House the board approved a plan allowing up to 300 (including staff) with no use of the Jetty’s lot for off‑site parking and limited valet (no more than 30 valet spots) while requiring shuttles for other attendees.
Board members emphasized setting a replicable transportation and parking standard for residential event sites and asked organizers to continue outreach to abutters; staff said abutter notices had already been sent and follow‑ups would be made several weeks before events. The board left open the possibility of adjusting caps in future meetings if the transportation plans reduce neighborhood impacts.
Next procedural steps: NHA to return with finalized shuttle/parking plans and public‑safety approvals; select board licensing staff to coordinate with public safety and planning on permit conditions.
